Articulated below are reflections and convictions precipitated, mulling over the most important questions as a human being - where did I come from? what I'm I here for? where I'm I going?

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Lenten tears - Part 2

Same are the tears that roll out of our eyes but reasons for it are many. Tears fall when we get hurt, when we fail to achieve, when expectations are no met, when we lose someone dear to us and also tears fall when we are sympathetic to the predicament of a fellow human being.

Lent is a season ear marked once every year for tears!. Question is which of these kind of tears do we cry during lent?

Most of the time, when we think of the events that led to the crucifixion of Jesus, the emotions that run in our veins are a crude mixture of sympathy and righteous anger. It does opportunistically move us to tears. We feel good and self content shedding these lenten tears as though we have done our part to sympathise with God who met with a misfortune.

"Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children" [Luke 23:28]

Crucified Jesus is not a victim of unfortunate circumstance or someone's vengeance or cruelty but a victor and liberator who embraced joyfully and willingly, the death on the cross to "set me free". Jesus turns to us who are content shedding the above lenten tears of sympathy, looks into our eyes, just us he did when peter denied him, says "child, weep not for me but for yourself and your children".

Don't we hear the crock crow in the background?

He wants us to be concerned about salvation, first our own and then others. He wants us to make full use of what he is achieving for us on the cross.

Let us look closely into the deep recess of our hearts. Realise how unworthy we are, realise the number of masks we wear, realise how we put up a straight face and walk as if nothing is wrong with us, realise how quick we are to judge others and find faults, realise how we want to decide for ourselves what is good and evil, realise how we have lost the sense of sin, realise how our generation have mastered godlessness and made themselves their own gods.

If you feel you are perfect and have nothing in you to repent for, probably you are away from light, the true light that shines and convicts - Jesus. You may be basking in the little lights you have created for yourselves that shows you only the sins of others and none of yours.

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us". [1 John 1: 8]

Let our hearts be broken and spirit be in grief in sincere repentance. The word of God says "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit" [Psalm 34:18] If there is pride in us, our grief will turn to guilt and self denial. Be confident of the love and mercy of Jesus who is waiting to accept us as we are. No need to pretend. He wants to make us like him. Waist no tears except for true remorse and to return to the Father who is waiting. Wishing you tearful lent!